Do you trade with China? BBC programme

[SallyBBC]

I'm a researcher for the BBC Radio 4 programme Word of Mouth, and I'm looking for soeone based in London- preferably the East End- who trades with China and can talk to us about how you have coped with any language issues you may have encountered.
Thanks

 

[Christine Hough]

I visited China Music exhibition in Shanghai and before going learnt a bit of Chinese.
It was a great adventure and I am so glad I learnt even the odd few words.
Hope that in the future we do expand into China.
But I do not trade there regularly yet and I don't live in the South East, just wanted to say how brilliant it was to go there!
Christine

 

[ryuu]

sorry i dont live in the south but i have had quite a few conversations with chinese companies and suppliers, its fun if nothing else they seem to have grasped english alot better than we have chinese over the last few years but still it can be very trying, remembering the major differences in culture and eticate is a bigger hurdle.

 

[redlion]

Generally speaking, the company who do international business must have 1 people who can speak english at least. What you should pay attention is to find the proper person. In some situation, it is more important than to find the proper company.

 

[DreamLifestyle]

All the chinese companies who I deal with and have dealt with all speak fluent English, so fortunately there have been no language barriers.

 

[Blow-Me]

I deal with chna and hong kong alot.

Never had a problem with speaking to them although most things are done via email now.

I just dont expect anything to me done over the new year period!!

 

[frimleypit4]

I lived and worked in Shanghai for 2.5 years, managing software development teams in an offshore R&D department; is that any use? I am based in Surrey, (and am a regular R4 listener!), so feel free to PM me!

 

[Ken Liu]

I'm a researcher for the BBC Radio 4 programme Word of Mouth, and I'm looking for soeone based in London- preferably the East End- who trades with China and can talk to us about how you have coped with any language issues you may have encountered.
Thanks

Hi Sally,

we import from China and are based in East Ham, have a storage unit in Barking. We "cope" as the contact in China speaks English to a certain degree and when things get desperate I rop emy mum in who speaks Mandarin!

Ken

 

[Duke Fame]

I'm a researcher for the BBC Radio 4 programme Word of Mouth, and I'm looking for soeone based in London- preferably the East End- who trades with China and can talk to us about how you have coped with any language issues you may have encountered.
Thanks

Not like the BBC to be so Londoncentric eh? (sarcasm intended) a licence fee wasted for anyone beyond the sound of hte bow bells

 

[Duke Fame]

Whilst not moaning about the cronic waste of a TV licence, we import from China - mainly audio equipment. Never too much of a problem although you do have to be diplomatic with quality problems.

 

[kely]

I'm a Chinese, we are trading company and we have our own factory. the quality of our products are highly appreciated by our foreign customers.
And some customers like to come to China to have a visit.
ps: the scenery is really attactive!

 

[davek17]

The language of business is English. Everyone speaks it and it makes me feel lazy at times despite being fluent in French and pretty good in Spanish!! I should have learnt Chinese and Korean instead!! However the idd word in Chinese goes down very well and shows respect.

I am finding that every factory still has a dedicated/skilled English person who is used as an interpretter and for defining the subtle points of areas but I am also finding more and more managers etc are just speaking English now.

Its not the language that's the main problem though, its the culture and getting exactly what you need. As English speakers we forget that we take for granted having an innate command of a language that is very complex. What we assume with other english native speakers is often not understood by the Chinese.

I find that they have made the effort to speak my language so I try and make an effort to speak in the right way to them. Being more basic and not assuming anything. It seems to work.

DaveK17

 

[gr9ce]

hmm and there i was thinking this post might be about some Chinese products that are copies, fall apart, arrive under the radar of CE approval etc How may are aware you can 'self certify' CE approval...madness.

 

[Kimmy Chen]

The most of people can speak English in China.I don't think it is difficult to trade to Chinese.If they can not speak English very well, they could read English by Email.